Jewelry display container



Feb. 23, 1960 M. GRIEVE ET AL JEWELRY DISPLAY CONTAINER 2' Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 5, 1958 IN VEN TORS MAEGAEE 7 62/5 VE BY EENJA MIN WASNER A TT EA/EYS Feb. 23, 1960 M. GRlEVE ET AL JEWELRY DISPLAY CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Shae t 2 Filed June 3, 1958 IN V EN TORS. M142 64,95 7' GIQ/EVE BY BEA/fA/W/V W/S/VEQ JEWELRY DISPLAY CONTAINER Margaret Grieve, Glenridge, N.J., and Benjamin Wisner,

tes Pater New York, N.Y., assignors to Shields Inc., Attlehoro,

Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application June 3, 1958, Serial No. 739,520

9 Claims. (Cl. 206-4514) The present invention relates to a jewelry display con tainer particularly adapted for the mounting and display of a bracelet or watch-band combination.

It is an axiom of modern merchandising that attractive and effective point of sale display plays a significant part in promoting the sales of most items, and particularly those items such as jewelry the appeal of which depends largely or primarily upon the visual impression which they make. It is not enough that such items be displayed so that they can be seen; they must be displayed in an attitude and with a framing and background which best sets off their design features. 7 In accordance with this time-tested truism, an appreciable amount of ingenuity and artistic effort has been expended in designing the packages or containers in which items of jewelry are to be sold.

From a manufacturing point of view it is desirable, in order that the cost of packaging may be kept at a minimum, that the parts of the display container be inexpensive to manufacture and to assemble and that the items to be displayed can be properly positioned in the package or container with a minimum of trouble and by relatively unskilled personnel.

The structure of the present invention accomplishes the above objectives in a singularly effective manner. The container itself may be a box of any desired shape. It is provided with a lining in order to effectively set off or contrast with the item of jewelry. A jewelry mounting element is provided on which the jewelry item is adapted to be received, that mounting element being, formable independently of the other components of the structure and being assemblable with the box or housing in a simple manner, merely by being appropriately slid relative thereto. The jewelry mounting element is provided with a part which passes through an aperture in the lining sheet. The mounting element is adapted to be releasably grasped by the box or housing, thus ensuring that the jewelry item mounted thereon is appropriately displayed, and the grasped mounting element itself serves to retain the lining sheet in proper position within the box or housing. The structure provided on the box for receiving and grasping the appropriate part of the jewelry mounting element also serves to support the lining sheet at least in part, by reason of which the lining sheet may be mainspecification, taken together with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the display container of the present invention, the box being shown in open position;

Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view takenalong the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but with the lining sheet, mounting element and container cover removed;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the lining sheet;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of the jewelry mounting element;

Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the mounting element;

Fig. 7 is a rear elevational view thereof;

Fig. 8 is a cross sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of Fig. 2, a watch being shown in broken lines in the position in which it would be displayed;

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of another type of jewelry mounting element; and i Fig. 10 is a front elevational view of the mounting element of Fig. 9.

The container of the present invention comprises a box having an open topped bottom portion generally designated 2 provided with a bottom wall 4, side walls 6 and 8, a front wall 10 and a rear wall 12. A top cover 14 is pivotally connected thereto by means of pins 16 rotatably received within apertures 18 in the side walls 6 and 8 respectively, the cover being movable between a closed position overlying the open top of the bottom portion 2 and an open position shown in Fig. l and exposing the bottom portion 2 to view. Both the cover 14 and bottom portion 2 may be formed of molded plastic or of any other suitable structural material and may be provided with any suitable ornamentat on.

A,pair of members 20 extend up from the bottom wall 4, those members being spaced from one another and being located substantially centrally of the width of the bottom wall 4 and somewhat rearwardly of the midpoint of the depth thereof. They are provided with oppositely inwardly extending flanges 22 which are spaced above the bottom wall 20. A pin or stud 24 extends up from the bottom wall 4 between and at a point substantially equidistantly spaced from the members 20. a

The jewelry mounting element, generally designated 26, is here specifically disclosed in a form adapted for the mounting and display of bracelets or watch and band combinations. It comprises a first substantially ringshaped part generally designated 28 on which the item of jewelry is adapted to be received, a second part 30 adapted to secure the element 26 to the bottom wall 4, and a third part 32 connecting the parts 28 and 30. The first part 28 is in the shape of a ring or a portion of a ring and is provided with lugs 34 extending forwardly from the lower edges thereof on which a bracelet or other item is adapted to rest. For display of a watch and band combination the front surface 28a is flat, a watch 31 (see Fig. 8) being adapted to rest thereagainst, and a pair of arcuate arms 36 extend rearwardly therefrom, the bracelet or band portion of the combination extending theretained within the box in a stepped condition which greatly adds to the attractiveness of the display, particularly when taken in conjunction with the fact that the jewelry item is preferably displayed in an inclined manner so as more readily to catch the eye of the passerby.

Only three parts are involved, to wit, the box or housing, the lining sheet and the jewelrymounting element. Each may be inexpensively produced, assembly is exceptionally simple and facile, and the result is a display container of greatly improved appearance when compared with the prior art.

To the accomplishment of the above, and to such other objects as may hereinafter appear, the present invention relates to the construction of a jewelry display container as defined in the appended claims and as described in this around. These arms 36 are somewhat flexible so as to frictionally grasp the bracelet or band and display it in proper manner.

The second part 30 has a width closely the same as the distance between the inner surface of the members 20 and has a thickness closely the same as the distance between the upper surface of the bottom wall 4 and the lower surfaces of the flanges22. It is therefore adapted to be' received between the members 30 and beneath the mounting element part 30 is further provided with a v forwardly opening slot 38 which registers with the stud 24 and into which the stud 24 is received, the slot 38 being provided with a widened portion 40 into which the stud 24 is receivable with a snap action,.the mounting element part 30 being somewhat resilient to that end. Consequently, asmay best be seen from Fig. 1, when the mounting element 26'is slid into the receiving means 20, 22 sufliciently for the stud24 to enter the enlarged slot portion 40, the mounting element part 30 will be releasably retained in position against accidental removal or displacement therefrom. v

The mounting element part 32 which connects the parts 28 and 30 supports the mounting element part 28 above and spaced from the bottom wall 4, and preferably inclines it relative to the bottom wall 4 for better display of the item mounted thereon, as may best be seen in Figs. 5 and 8. The part 32 may be providedwith stiffening ribs 42 for rigidifying purposes.

The jewelry mounting element 26 may be inexpensively formed in one piece of molded plastic material having appropriate structural characteristics.

The jewelry mounting element ,26 of Figs. 9 and 10 is essentially similar to the jewelry mounting element 26 of Figs. 1-8, and corresponding parts are identified by corresponding reference numerals, diiferentiated, however, by being primed. The mounting element 26 difiers from the mounting element 26 largely in that the portions 28a and 36 thereof are somewhat narrower, thereby being adapted for the display of narrower items of jewelry. For example, the mounting element 26 may be used for the display of a mans watch and band whereas the mounting. element 26' may be used for the display of a ladys watch and band. It will also be noted that the arms 36 of the mounting element 26' are provided with overhanging lips 44 ontheir upper edges, thereby to retain the displayed item against upward movement relative to the arms 26, just as the lugs 34' prevent it from downward movement.

In order to properly set off and display the jewelry items in question a lining sheet generally designated 46 is employed, that sheet being mounted beneath the first part 28 of the jewelry mounting element 26. That portion 48 of the lining sheet 46 which is positioned above the elements 26 may rest upon those elements and thus be supported thereby in a position raised above the bottom wall 4; A forwardly extending portion 50 of the lining sheet 46' may be positioned lower than the portion 48, andmay rest-directly upon the bottom wall 4. A portion-52 of the lining sheet 46 connects-the-portions 48 and 50, and is provided-withan-aperture 54 of closely the same width as the mounting element part32, through which that part extends. Sections of the first mounting element part 38-, here specificallyshown as the arcuate arms 36, extend rearwardly over the sheet portion 48 and preferably engage that sheet-portion so as to hold it in position (see Fig. 8). Other sections of the mounting element part 28, and hereshown specifically as the front face 28a and the lugs 34, extend forwardly over the lining sheet portion 50.

The lining sheet 46 may be formed of any suitable material, such as cardboard, and'its upper surface may be providedwith a decorative layer of fabric or the like of any appropriate color and texture.

Fingers 56 may extend up from the bottom wall 4 adjacent the front corners thereof and closely spacedfrom the front wall 10, a price cardor'other placard be ing retainable thereby, opposed teeth 58 being provided to firmly grip said placard. The front corners of the sheet 46 are cut away, at 60, soas to snugly fit around the fingers 56.

To assemble the structure of the present inventionit is merely necessary to place the precut lining sheet 46v in the container bottom portion 2, the forward portion of the bottom wall 4- and the members 20 producing'the desired stepped appearance of the sheet 46, after which the mounting element part 30 is slid through the aperture 54 between the members 20' and under the flanges 22 until the stud 24 snaps into the enlarged slot portion 40. Any mispositioning of the lining sheet 46 will be corrected by the mounting element 26 by reason of the passage of the mounting element part 32. through the aperture 54 and the engagement of the mounting element arms 36 with the rear portion 48 of the sheet 46. The desired jewelry item may then be placed on the mounting element part 28, where it' will be displayed at proper inclination and with proper contrast and framing.

Since, as indicated by the diiierences between the jewelry mounting elements 26 and 26, difierent types of jewelry units may be displayed by mounting elements which differ only in the first parts 28 thereof, the same boxes and lining sheets may be employed for many different types of jewelry items. The only structural component which need be changed to correspond with differentjewelry items is the mounting element 26, and even then the assembly of the appropriate mounting element 26 with the remainder of the structure is precisely the same in every instance. As a result container inventory problems are appreciably reduced and assembly personnel need learn only a single technique for many difierent types of jewelry items. 7

While but a limited number of embodiments have been here specifically disclosed, it will be apparent that many variations may be made therein, all within the scope of the present invention as defined in the following claims. I

Weclaim;

1. A jewelrydisplay container comprising a housing having a bottom wall with substantially horizontal receiving means thereon, a sheet supported in said housing over said wall and having an aperture therethrough substantially in line with said receiving means, and a jewelrymountin'g element comprising a first part above said sheet on which an item of jewelry is adapted to be received, a second substantially horizontal part of appreciable length below said sheet and received in said receiving means, and a thirdpart passing through the aperture in said sheet, connecting said first and second parts, and making obtuse angles with said first and second parts respectively.

2'. Ajewelry display container comprising ahousing havinga bottom wall with receiving means thereon, a sheet-supported in said housing over said wall and having an aperture therethrough substantially in line with said receiving means, and a jewelry mounting element comprising a first partabove said sheet on which an item of jewelry is adaptedto be received, a second part below said sheet and received in said receiving means, and a third part passing through the aperture in said sheet and connecting saidfi'rst and second parts, and means for releasably retaining said second part of said mounting element in a' predetermined position in said receiving means, said receiving means comprising vmembers extendingup from 'said bottom wall and spaced from one another bya= distance corresponding'to the distance betweenthe outer sideedgesof said second part of said mounting; element, and further comprising top flanges extendingover and spaced'from said bottom wall by a distancecorrespondingto the thickness of said second part of 'sai'd mounting element, said second part of said mounting element beingreceived between said members and beneath saidiflan'ges', said retaining means comprising a! stud exten-dingup' from'said bottom wall substantially'between said" members, the leading edge of said secondpartof said mounting element having a slot into which saiclfstud. is adapted to be received, said slot having a widened portioninto' which said stud is received with a snap action. i

3. The jewelrydisplay container of claim 2, in which a portion'of" said sheet rests on said flanges and is supported thereby above and spaced from said bottom wall.

said mounting element first part being positioned above said sheet portion, partially extending over said sheet portion and partially extending forwardly thereof.

4. The jewelry display container of claim 2, in which a first portion of said sheet rests on said flanges and is supported thereby above and spaced from said bottom wall, said sheet having a second portion positioned forwardly of said first portion and supported closer to said bottom wall than said first portion, said first and second portions being connected by a riser portion in which said aperture is formed.

5. The jewelry display container of claim 2, in which a first portion of said sheet rests on said flanges and is supported thereby above and spaced from said bottom wall, said sheet having a second portion positioned forwardly of said first portion and supported closer to said bottom wall than said first portion, said first and second portions being connected by a riser portion in which said aperture is formed, said mounting element first part being positioned above said first sheet portion, partially extending over said first sheet portion and partially extending forwardly thereof over said second and riser sheet portions.

6. A jewelry display container comprising a housing having a bottom wall with receiving means thereon, a sheet supported in said housing over said wall and having an aperture therethrough substantially in line with said receiving means, and a jewelry mounting element comprising a first part above said sheet on which an item of jewelry is adapted to be received, a second part below said sheet and received in said receiving means, and a third part passing through the aperture in said sheet and connecting said first and second parts, and means for releasably retaining said second part of said mounting element in a predetermined position in said receiving means, said receiving means comprising members extending up from said bottom wall and spaced from one another by a distance corresponding to the distance between the outer side edges of said second part of said mounting element, and further comprising top .6 flanges extending over and spaced from said bottom wall by a distance corresponding to the thickness of said second part of said mounting element, said second part of said mounting element being received between said members and beneath said flanges.

7. The jewelry display container of claim 6, in which a portion of said sheet rests on said flanges and is supported thereby above and spaced from said bottom wall, said mounting element first part being positioned above said sheet portion, partially extending over said sheet portion and partially extending forwardly thereof.

8. The jewelry display container of claim 6, in which a first portion of said sheet rests on said flanges and is supported thereby above and spaced from said bottom wall, said sheet having a second portion positioned forwardly of said first portion and supported closer tosaid bottom wall than said first portion, said first and second portions being connected by a riser portion in which said aperture is formed.

9. The jewelry display container of claim 6, in which a first portion of said sheet rests on said flanges and is supported thereby above and spaced from said bottom Wall, said sheet having a second portion positioned forwardly of said first portion and supported closer to said bottom wall than said first portion, said first and second portions being connected by a riser portion in which said aperture is formed, said mounting element first part being positioned above said first sheet portion, partially extending over said first sheet portion and partially extending forwardly thereof over said second and riser sheet portions.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 129,067 Steinle July 16, 1872 2,575,016 Hopp et al. Nov. 13, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTSv 247,002 Great Britain Feb. 11, 1926 

